This is it. All but two NCAA teams have hung up the jerseys, the Grapefruit and Cactus Leagues are finished, and its time to get psyched about the 2010 Cincinnati Reds as they begin their 162 game conquest of the Central Division, the National League, and finally the entire MLB. While Burnside and KFW have given you the scoop on all the question marks and unproven youngsters needed to step up, El Fuerto has some good news for you: the infield. This is the backbone of the team, the area Dusty has had set since he stepped foot in Arizona. While the pitching and outfield are make or breaks for the Reds, the infield should be the stable constant. Let's take a look at who Cincy will be leaning on this summer.
First Base: I'll admit that I have been very harsh on Reds first basemen even since the awful day when Sean Casey was shipped out of town. However, Joey Votto has really grown on me. He is a 26 year old Canadian with a swing as big as Greg Ostertag. Votto batted .322 with 25 home runs last year, and should be able to improve on this. He is the Reds best hitter and needs to have another big year if they are going to compete.
Second Base: Brandon Phillips is one of the best second basemen in the league (top five with Utley, Pedroia, Cano, and Kinsler?) He went 20-20 last year (20 HRs and 25 SBs) and has 100 RBI potential (98 last year.) Throw in his 2008 Gold Glove and the fact that he is still only 28, and you have yourself a top notch talent at the position. Veterans Aaron Miles and Miguel Cairo will be used as insurance policies in the infield.
Shortstop: Now, normally I'm not big on throwing $4 Million at a 35 year old, but getting Orlando Cabrera was a necessity. It was either this or give Paul Janish and his .211 batting average a full time role. Anyway, we know how much Dusty likes his veterans and it was only 3 years ago when Cabrera won an AL Gold Glove. So if nothing else, we should have a double play tandem to rival the likes of Fontenot-Theriot, Utley-Rollins, Cano-Jeter, and Kinsler-Andrus. Orlando is also good for a solid batting average (.284 last year), some RBIs (77), and even a few stolen bases (13).
Third Base: Scott Rolen is getting up there in age, but still can contribute a lot to the team. He churned out 67 RBIs and a .455 SLG. despite only playing 128 games. Rolen is still a top defensive player and a good fit in the five slot in the order. He should be fine at third all year as long as he avoids injuries and/or pitchers drilling him in the head.
Catcher: This is definitely the part of the infield that makes me most nervous. Ramon Hernandez is decent behind the plate (5 errors but only 18 runners thrown out compared to 33 steals allowed) but can't hit at all. He batted .258, which is okay if you have power, but not if you are only good for 5 HRs and 37 RBIs. Ryan Hanigan is an alright backup, but nothing more than that. He hit an alright .263, but has absolutely no power, shown by his .331 SLG. He draws a lot of walks (37 in 251 ABs) which I guess is good, but he allowed more passed balls and committed just as many errors as Hernandez. While they aren't horrible options, just remember that we are only one injury away from Corky Miller seeing extensive time behind the plate...
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